ARC
DNA
We’re on a journey. We are finding in our journey that questions often work as well as answers. Ambiguity neither surprises nor threatens us. We are rooted in ancient truths, while being comfortable with modern methods. We appreciate our heritage, while being driven by our mission, identity, and values. We are on a journey because we sense that there is more to discover than what we have experienced up to now.
We are connected. While we are autonomous, we favor interdependence to independence. We enjoy working together for a common cause, and that cause is kingdom advance. Relationships are the unifying cement rather than doctrine. We value who we are for one another, and what we do together grows out of our commitment to one another.
We are a network. We are decentralized rather than centralized, flat rather than hierarchical. We believe that one size does not fit all, so we enjoy unity without uniformity, coordination rather than control, and flexibility over rigidity ever time. We like to reward risk-taking and innovation because we don’t have all the answers. We trust what God does in a local church. At the same time…
We are apostolic. We recognize that God raises up leaders, gifted in casting and communicating vision. We trust leaders, which also means that we don’t do much voting. And it means that we might do the leadership thing differently than we’ve known in the past.
We are positive. We would rather be known for what we are for than what we are against. We have great hope for the Church, and we love giving hope to the people we serve. We like to say, “You can do it; you are equipped.” We would rather empower than hold onto power.
We are Spirit-empowered. We believe that the ARC has caught the wind of the Spirit and is being carried along by the empowering presence of God. As people guided by the Spirit, we operate by revelation, because God can still talk!
We are evangelical, charismatic, and sacramental. We affirm the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ, the power that comes from the Holy Spirit, and the grace that flows to us through baptism and the Lord's Supper.
We are a wineskin. This means that some things may look different from the way we have done them in the past. Those “going into the ministry” may take a different route. What the church looks like may not be what it looked like when we were growing up. Then again—it might. With the apostle Paul, we want to separate the absolutes from the variables. Where the people of God (the church) meet is up for grabs, and even who leads it. But that Jesus is Lord of the Church is not up for grabs! And that everybody gets to play is not up for grabs either.
We are missional. We believe in the mission, not just missions, whether that means going across the street or across the ocean. We are here for those who aren’t yet in. The gifts of the Spirit are for those who need them—out there!
We’re on a journey. We are finding in our journey that questions often work as well as answers. Ambiguity neither surprises nor threatens us. We are rooted in ancient truths, while being comfortable with modern methods. We appreciate our heritage, while being driven by our mission, identity, and values. We are on a journey because we sense that there is more to discover than what we have experienced up to now.
We are connected. While we are autonomous, we favor interdependence to independence. We enjoy working together for a common cause, and that cause is kingdom advance. Relationships are the unifying cement rather than doctrine. We value who we are for one another, and what we do together grows out of our commitment to one another.
We are a network. We are decentralized rather than centralized, flat rather than hierarchical. We believe that one size does not fit all, so we enjoy unity without uniformity, coordination rather than control, and flexibility over rigidity ever time. We like to reward risk-taking and innovation because we don’t have all the answers. We trust what God does in a local church. At the same time…
We are apostolic. We recognize that God raises up leaders, gifted in casting and communicating vision. We trust leaders, which also means that we don’t do much voting. And it means that we might do the leadership thing differently than we’ve known in the past.
We are positive. We would rather be known for what we are for than what we are against. We have great hope for the Church, and we love giving hope to the people we serve. We like to say, “You can do it; you are equipped.” We would rather empower than hold onto power.
We are Spirit-empowered. We believe that the ARC has caught the wind of the Spirit and is being carried along by the empowering presence of God. As people guided by the Spirit, we operate by revelation, because God can still talk!
We are evangelical, charismatic, and sacramental. We affirm the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ, the power that comes from the Holy Spirit, and the grace that flows to us through baptism and the Lord's Supper.
We are a wineskin. This means that some things may look different from the way we have done them in the past. Those “going into the ministry” may take a different route. What the church looks like may not be what it looked like when we were growing up. Then again—it might. With the apostle Paul, we want to separate the absolutes from the variables. Where the people of God (the church) meet is up for grabs, and even who leads it. But that Jesus is Lord of the Church is not up for grabs! And that everybody gets to play is not up for grabs either.
We are missional. We believe in the mission, not just missions, whether that means going across the street or across the ocean. We are here for those who aren’t yet in. The gifts of the Spirit are for those who need them—out there!